Self-winding guide for flexible electric cords



NOV. 21, 1933. y w 1 GRANT 1,936,085

SELF-WINDING GUIDE FOR FLEXIBLE ELECTRIC CORDS Filed May 5, 1932 I lNvENToR Wglgraz BY ATTORNEY jjfowm Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William J. Grant, New York, N. Y.

Application-May 3, 1932. Serial No. 608,902

1 Claim. (Cl. 173-367) The main object of this invention is the provision of a self-winding drum and guide for flexible electric cords such as are used on lloor lamps which is their normal use are moved from place to place on the floor, the slack of the cord normally lying about the floor being always wound onto the drum so that the device permits the cord to present a neat appearance at all times, and prevents loose straggling lengths of cord from lying about the oor.

Another object of the invention is the construction of such a device that the continuity of flow of current into the lamp is uninterrupted at all times regardless of the distance the cord is Withdrawn from the drum.

Still another object is the provision of a housing containing the drum and other mechanical and structural parts, so that the device presents a neat and ornamental appearace.

Still a further object is the provision of a supporting pedestal for the entire device so constructed that the housing may be tilted to any desired or convenient angle and will thus enable the cord to leave the housing at the proper angle at all times.

The above and other objects will become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in the drawing.

Referring briey to the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the device, partly in section.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10 represents a cylindrical housing having a removable cap 11 at one end and a similar cap 12 at the other. The latter is provided with a central oblong opening through which a similarlyshaped tongue 13 passes from the interior of the housing. A disk or plate 14 is mounted concentrically adjacent the cap 12 and has the tongue 13 rotatably mounted therein. A hollow drum of wood, bakelite, or the like, has lone end secured to the disk 14 by screws or other suitable means, being mounted concentrically on said disk. This drum has an axial bore 16, in which v"a coiled spring 17a lies. The latter has one end attached to the inside of the drum, as shown at 17, and the other end attached at 18 to a boss or the like 19 integral with the disk 14.

The outer surface of the drum 15 is provided with helical grooves 20 in which the turns of the two-conductor cord 21 are adapted to lie. One end of the coil 21 terminates in a plug 22 of the usual type. The vother end of the cord terminates in the two conductors 23 and 24. A 60 metal plate or disk 25 covers this end of the drum 15 and is secured thereto by screws 26. A binding post 27 passes centrally through this disk 25, and a nut 28 clamps the end of wire 23 to said post. A screw 29 secures the end of wire 24 to o5 the metal plate 25.

About midway between the cap 11 and the plate 25, a disk of insulating material such as nber or bakelite, is mounted, shown at 30. The cap 11 is provided with an inner wall 31. Screws 70 `32, having spacer sleeves 33, retain the disk 30 in its spaced position. 'Ihe binding post 27 passes through the disk 30 and a spacer sleeve 34 is mounted between the two adjacent disks. A lock nut 35 on the end of the post 27 retains a washer 75 36 on said post, urging the washer against the peripheral shoulder 38 forming part of the post 27. The washer 36 is bent in one place so that it will possess some resiliencya'gainst said shoulder. This washer is secured to the end of wire 30 39, one of the two conductors in cord 40. The other wire 42 of this cord is attached to a screw 41 passing through disk 30. A spring nger 43, bent into the shape shown, is secured at one end to the screw 41, being clamped against the disk 30 by the head of this screw. The other end 44 of this finger 43 is looped to provide a contact shoe which rides upon the peripheral edge of the disk 25. The cord 40 terminates in the usual plug 45. 90

Either plug 22 or 45 may be attached to the wall or baseboard socket and the other to the lamp. As the cord 21 is withdrawn, it will pass out of the slot 4 6 in the housing 10, the slot having rolled edges 47 for obvious reasons. The 95 drum 15, rotating about the tongue 13, will cause taughtening of the spring 17a; when the withdrawing force on the cord 21 is released, the drum will be rewound and the cord 21 will wind back into the grooves 20. During rotation of the drum, the circuit between wires 42 and 24 is kept closed through the contact shoe 44 and the periphery of metal disk 25; the other-side of the circuit is kept closed through wire 39, washer 36, shoulder 38, post 27, and wire 23. y/ A pedestal or base is provided for the device, which may be screwed down on the oor or to a lamp base. The base is shown at 48, and is formed of two complementary symmetrical halves, forming together with base 48, an upwardly pro- 110 jecting tapering screw 49 o1 relatively large diameter, and a globular socket 50 extending from the screw 49. A ball 51 is mounted on the underside of the housing 10, and rests in said socket. A ring 52, having recesses 53 therein for the insertion of a tool, threadably engages the screw 49. It is obvious that movement of the ring in one direction tightens the ball in the socket, and vice versa. The universal movement of the housing about the base is also apparent.

I claim:

A device of the class described comprising a cylindrical housing, a coiled spring, a hollow drum rotatably mounted axially in said housing and containing said spring, said drum being normally urged to rotation by said spring, a longitudinal slot in said housing, a two-conductor flexible cord adapt-ed to be wound about said drum and passing through said slot, a metal disk closing one end of said drum, one of said conductors being connected to said disk, an insulated post passing through said disk axially and having said other conductor connected thereto, a second disk of insulating material mounted co-axially with and parallel to said first disk, a second two-conductor cord entering said housing at the end adjacent said disks, said post passing through said second disk, a bent ring on the end of one of said lastnamed conductors loosely attached to said post, a spacer sleeve surrounding' said post between said disks, a second post passing through said second disk adjacent the periphery thereof, said other conductor of said last-named cord being connected to said second post, a bent resilient nger secured to said second post and having a tongue engaging and adapted to ride upon the periphery of said first disk.

- WILLIAM J. GRANT. 

